New On DVD – September 29, 2009
Posted September 29, 2009 12:08 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Away We Go CityNews.ca Pick of the Week – Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Bert (John Krasinki) are in their early 30s and expecting their first child. When they find out that Bert’s parents (and closest family members) – hilariously played by Jeff Daniels and Catherine O’Hara – are temporarily moving to Belgium and won’t be around for the baby’s first two years, they decide to pack up and move from their trailer in Colorado to find the perfect home to raise their baby. Part road movie, part drama, part comedy – Away We Go is equally funny as it is touching, and will definitely hit a nerve with the thirtysomething set. Great characters, performances, soundtrack, script and direction. After seeing it twice, it’s officially one of my favourite films of the year. Special features include a making-of, featurette on the green-filmmaking techniques used for the production, and commentary with director Sam Mendes and writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. Also available on Blu-ray. Film **** out of 5 stars. DVD *** out of 5 stars.
Monsters vs. Aliens (Blu-ray) – On the day of Susan Murphy’s wedding, a meteor falls from the sky, lands on her, and turns her into a gigantic monster. The military takes her to a secret location to join a team of other monsters, who are then recruited to battle an invasion on Earth by aliens. Although not as good as some other animated films this year (like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs or Coraline), it’s still a fun film that the whole family will enjoy. Excellent voice cast (Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Hugh Laurie and Paul Rudd to name a few) and the animation is stunning in high-definition (this is definitely one to get on Blu-ray). Special features include the short film B.O.B.’s Big Break (in 3D & 2D), the animator’s corner (in HD), trivia track (in HD), deleted scenes (in HD), paddle ball game (in HD and 3D) plus a ton more. Film *** out of 5 stars. Blu-ray **** out of 5 stars.
Management – Cute romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston as a traveling hotel art dealer (you know those cheesy pictures you see in every hotel room) and Steve Zahn as a hotel manager who falls for her. Woody Harrelson also has a small part as Aniston’s crazy boyfriend Jango. The film played at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival but didn’t really get the recognition it deserved. If you’re in the mood for a simple comedy this is the title to pick up. Special features include commentary with Steve Zahn and director Stephen Belbar, deleted scenes and a gag reel. Also available on Blu-ray. Film *** out of 5 stars. DVD *** out of 5 stars.
Pour elle (For Her) – Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) stars as Lisa, a woman who is charged with murder and sent to jail for life. When her husband Julien (Vincent Lindon) exhausts all his legal options to get her out he turns to alternative methods. Intense dramatic thriller worth checking out before the Paul Haggis remake starring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks comes out in 2011. French with English subtitles. Special features are only in French and include the trailer and a making-of featurette. Film *** out of 5 stars. DVD ** out of 5 stars.
Victoria Day – It’s May 1988 in Toronto, and while school is coming to an end, young star hockey player Ben (Mark Rendall) is dealing with a fellow teammate and classmate who has gone missing after a Bob Dylan concert at Ontario Place. Cast is wonderful but the film is more like an extended episode of the original Degrassi series than an 80s teen movie. Special features include b-roll footage and interviews with cast and crew. Film ** out of 5 stars. DVD ** out of 5 stars.
Check out an interview CityNews.ca did with Victoria Day director David Bezmozgis.
Perkins’ 14 – Starts out as a decent movie about a guy who was never caught for kidnapping children 10 years ago and then drastically changes gears and turns into a zombie film. Richard Brake is intense as the title character but the movie as a whole feels forced and confused. Special features include Webisodes. Film ** out of 5 stars. DVD * out of 5 stars.
More New DVD releases: The Very First Alvin Show, Dark Crystal (Blu-ray), Labryrinth (Blu-ray), The Wizard of Oz: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray), A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, Baby Einstein: World Animal Adventure, The New York Ripper (Blu-ray).
brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com
Top image: Scene from Monsters vs. Aliens. Courtesy Paramount Pictures.
